NANOCO

Nanoco: British consumers unaware of dangers of cadmium in their living rooms

A new survey of adult consumers in the United States, Britain and
Germany revealed a lack of awareness about cadmium, a highly toxic heavy
metal used in some home electronics including televisions and computer
monitors. Consumers surveyed seem to be unaware that governments are
sanctioning the use of cadmium when suitable alternatives already exist
and dominate the television and monitor market. Three-quarters of
consumers surveyed in each country rejected cadmium-based products and
say they would be willing to purchase safer electronics based on the
fact that they did not contain cadmium.

The independent online survey was conducted between November 30 and
December 2, 2016 among 1,003 U.S. adults, aged 18 and older; 1,005 U.K.
adults, 18 and older; and 1,029 German adults, 18 and older.1

Key survey findings and takeaways:

Overall awareness of cadmium and its use in home
electronics is low:

General awareness of cadmium is low
among consumers in these
three countries and few are familiar with its use in electronic
devices
.

Depending on the country, between 60% and 80% of consumers were not
aware of cadmium as a toxic element and material.

Up to 78% of consumers were not aware of cadmium’s current or proposed
use in consumer electronics.

Adults with higher incomes and education, along with younger consumers
(aged 18-24) were more likely to be aware of cadmium and its proposed
use in consumer electronics products.

Takeaway: Much like lead and mercury campaigns, government needs to
have an explanation as to why consumers are not better educated and
aware (e.g. product hazard labeling) of cadmium.

Consumers are willing to select televisions and
monitors based on the absence of cadmium in order to have safer products
in their homes:

When educated about Cadmium, concerns about the dangers take
precedence over other quality factors (price, energy efficiency, etc)
.
The vast majority -- up to 76% of consumers -- say they would be willing
to purchase a device that did not contain Cadmium
. Feeling was so
strong on this point that some consumers expressed an opinion that
avoiding purchasing products containing cadmium would be their ONLY
motivation in purchasing a television or monitor.

Germans are particularly focused on product safety
issues:

German consumers, in particular, put safety first, with 60% of
Germansgiving a resounding no to Cadmium-based products – even
if a manufacturer claims the products are safe
.

If choosing between two devices, one containing Cadmium and the
other without, three in five Germans would choose the
non-Cadmium product
as they would not put themselves or their
families at risk.

Takeaway: Government has a duty to inform consumers about the risks
of cadmium since they are not being given full information by
manufacturers.

Proper waste recycling protocols are still unclear
in many countries, multiplying Cadmium’s dangers:

The survey identified that general electronic waste recycling is
well developed and understood in Germany
. This is not the same
for all countries surveyed and even for Germany, it is not clear if
cadmium specifically is controlled.

Nanoco (LSE:NANO) harnesses the power of nano-technology to create a
brighter, more sustainable future. Based on breakthrough science,
Nanoco’s proprietary manufacturing process enables the large-scale
production of its cadmium-free CFQD® quantum dots for multiple
applications:

Nanoco has non-exclusive manufacturing and marketing licensing
agreements in display with The Dow Chemical Company, Merck KGaA of
Germany, and Wah Hong Industrial Corporation of Taiwan. Through these
partners and its own production facilities in Runcorn, UK, Nanoco is
creating the world’s largest manufacturing ecosystem for cadmium-free
quantum dots.

Nanoco was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Manchester, UK, with
a US subsidiary, Nanoco Inc., in Concord, MA. Nanoco continues to build
out a world-class, patent-protected IP portfolio generated both by its
own innovation engine, as well as through acquisition.

Nanoco is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange and
trades under the ticker symbol NANO. For further information please
visit: www.nanocogroup.com
.

1
Survey conducted by Regina Corso Consulting. Because the
sample is based on those who agreed to participate, no estimates of
sampling error can be calculated.